Chickens are not picky regarding food and will eat anything. However, can chickens eat dried mealworms? Yes, chickens can eat dried mealworms.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of dried mealworms and how you can feed them to your chickens.
Are Dried Mealworms good for Chickens?
Now that you know the answer: Can chickens eat dried mealworms? Here are the benefits of feeding your chickens dried mealworms:
The mealworms are good for their feathers
The best time to feed your chickens’ dried mealworms is when they are molting. The molt reduces the protein quantity in the chicken’s body. Since molting is so stressful for chickens, they start losing their feathers.
However, feeding your chickens a high protein diet such as dried mealworms will easily get through molting.
Dried Mealworms have Medicinal properties
Chickens recovering from a predator attack, or an infection will need a protein boost to get through the ordeal. Under these circumstances, you can feed your injured chickens a teaspoon of dried mealworms daily.
Dried Mealworms can keep the Chickens active
You can toss dried mealworms in the chicken coop, which will keep the chickens active. The birds will run after the mealworms, and the activity will keep them busy for long periods, protecting them from boredom.
How to Rehydrate Dried Mealworms?
It is good to rehydrate the dried mealworms because this gives them a more attractive appearance and makes them appealing to chickens.
Experts recommend adding rehydrated dried mealworms to the chickens’ diet during dry and hot weather. Here is how you can rehydrate the dried mealworms. Here are the liquids you can use to rehydrate dried mealworms:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Seed oils such as Hemp and Flax seed oil
- Cold-pressed vegetable or olive oil
- Warm water
To rehydrate the dried mealworms, cover them in your preferred liquid. Soak the mealworms in the liquid for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are flexible and soft. Rehydrated dried mealworms can increase in size and develop a light color.
How to feed Chickens Dried Mealworms?
There are many ways you can feed dried mealworms to chickens, and here are some of them:
- You can scatter dried mealworms atop the chicken feed or mix them with the feed mixture.
- Scatter the dried mealworms around the chicken coop to give your chickens a tasty snack.
- You can also use dried mealworms to train your chickens.
However, no matter your feeding method, you must ensure your chickens have plenty of water when eating dried food, such as dried mealworms.
How many Dried Mealworms can Chickens consume Daily?
Adult chickens can consume up to 10 to 12 dried mealworms daily. However, in cold or hot weather, you can double this quantity. Also, you can increase the quantity during the molting, showing, or breeding period.
What to do if your Chickens are interested in Dried Mealworms?
It is common to show no interest in dried mealworms if they have never seen them. However, once your chickens eat dried mealworms, we are certain they will always show an interest in them.
You can also encourage your chickens to eat dried mealworms by feeding them the worms as an occasional treat.
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Conclusion
In this article, we focused on this question: Can chickens eat dried mealworms? Not only are dried mealworms safe for chickens, but they also provide many benefits. We also explained how you could feed chickens dried mealworms and what to do if your birds are not interested in them.
